Date Me, Bryson Keller was delightful from start to finish. It’s a coming-of-age/coming out story told from the perspective of a teen boy named Kai who is coming to terms with his own sexuality while growing up in his somewhat conservative and religious family. In the opening scene of the book, Kai is at a party where another student at Kai’s school—Bryson Keller—is dared to date for one week the first person to ask him out each Monday morning. A chapter (or maybe two?) in, Kai ends up being the first person to ask Bryson to date him, kind of on a whim, and from there, hijinks ensues.

This book was really sweet and fun, and I spent most of it swooning over how adorable Kai and Bryson were together. However, there is some serious fallout for one character when they are outed by another character; some friends and family members act/react badly to learning about their sexuality. I will absolutely be recommending this to lots of young readers, but I also think it’d be worth putting a trigger warning label on the book (re: a character being outed) just in case some readers want to avoid it.

Absolutely love, love, loved it!

This was a great coming to age story that deals with being in the closet and coming out while in high school. Everyone has different experiences and with our main character, Kai, he didn’t want to come out until college. As he waited though, he didn’t feel like himself and until he started dating the popular guy, Bryson, he did not understand how much he was suppressing himself by not letting the people he loved know about his true self. I like how this book talks about how people are more accepting of the LBGTQ community now than in the past, but there will always be people who are ignorant and will try to tear down people who are just trying to be themselves. Kai was such a cute and shy character compared to Bryson who was confident and didn’t let anyone tell him how he should think or feel. They’re personalities went very well together and Bryson was able to get Kai to break out of his shell and see that hiding who was inside was making him lonely and afraid of everything around him. Read this when it comes out May 19th; you won’t regret it!
*Thanks to @netgalley for this advanced copy.*

I was happy to receive a copy of this book for review. I am a huge fan of the Seven Days manga and had heard of the controversy around this novel, so I wanted to see what all the fuss was about. I think the author read something that resonated with him and wanted to write his version of the story. He used the main starting point of Seven Days, but after that the story is different.
Kai is a closeted gay student in a private high school. While at a party a dare is given to another student that he must accept the proposal to date from the first person who asks him every Monday. If he loses the bet, Bryson will have to ride the bus to school for the rest of the year. (Gasp, shock, horror!) Kai and Bryson begin their week by slowly getting to know each other. As they get to know each other and try to keep their dating a secret they start to wonder if they are developing feelings for each other.
The story had many elements which made it enjoyable. The teasing between the characters, the supportive friends, the true to life experience of coming out, and how mean peers can be. I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this novel, but it is an own voices novel so maybe I should have expected to be able to see it as something that could happen.

This was so adorable! Kai is a cutie, a good friend and son, and I felt so bad that he was hiding himself because he was afraid of what his family and peers would say. I'm glad he decided to befriend Bryson and that Bryson was kind. Their whole relationship was sweet and watching them grow closer and develop feelings was fun. The story was well written and flew by. I liked the LGBTQ representation and the multiracial factor also. This dealt with tough issues, but also stayed pretty light.
I definitely recommend checking this out!

Thank you so so so so so so so so much for Netgalley for providing an ARC of this book!

I'm speechless. I just loved it so much. It's still fresh in my brain so i'll update my review later

This delightful high school LBGTQ light romance follows Kai, a closeted gay senior just trying to stay under the radar until graduation; and Bryson, the most popular boy in school who accepts a dare to date the first person who asks him out every Monday for only one week.

After several months of mass mania every Monday because of the dare and the girls of the school clamoring to be the next girlfriend-of-the-week, Kai's week is off to a terrible start. He's late to class because an overly excited female classmate dumped soda all over his uniform, he's got dress code demerits, and now he has lunch detention so he won't be able to finish his script assignment. But Bryson was also late to class because of family issues, so he has missed all the hopeful young ladies. In a surge of either courage or insanity, Kai asks Bryson to date HIM for a week instead. The dare never specified it had to be a girl, just the first person to ask Bryson out, right?

Although lighthearted in tone, this book delves deftly into the fears and social roadblocks a closeted teen must face every day in American high schools. Kai constantly feels he needs to lie to his family, his friends, and his peers to hide who he truly is. Kai's narrating voice throughout the story is unvarnished as he discovers both the warm, fuzzy, stomach butterfly inducing experiences with Bryson and the mortal terror he feels at the very thought of being outed by his own foolish impulsive action. The story flows well, and even the tertiary characters feel well developed and believable.

I highly recommend this book for fans of Mason Deaver, Venio Tachibana, and Ngozi Ukazu.

* Special thanks to NetGally and the publisher for granting me an eARC in return for my honest review. *

Loved everything about this delectable YA romance, from their amazing sisters, to the honesty in which it was presented. Never take for granted that while love IS love, some relationships just have more hurdles than others. I was rooting for them the entire time :)

Very, very cute but definitely younger YA. Was not my personal favorite but would highly recommend to fans of Becky Albertalli or Kasie West.

I absolutely love the premise of this novel, but the execution left a lot to be desired. Bryson Keller was also one of the most cardboard cutout love interests I’ve read recently; he was the perfect boyfriend and... that was it. I do love other aspects of this book like the exploration of being mixed race and how coming out stories are still relevant in modern day. But overall, I found this debut lacking in many areas. It’s a quick read and it’s cute — if tries to be too cute at times — though, so maybe give it a shot if it sounds like your thing and you’re not a tough critic.

This was an incredible read that managed to give a balance of both the lighter, sweeter sides of teen romance, with the darker, scarier sides of coming out. The main character, Kai's, inner monologues and reflections on why he hasn't come out yet are worded in such a way that it rekindles an otherwise watered down understanding of what it means to be closeted. We ourselves might be incredibly accepting, but with that acceptance also comes a blindness for how bad it still is for so many in the LGBTQIA+ community. The writing itself and Kai's words are strung together in such a way that it hits home all over again how truly terrifying it is to be a teen in any non-normative or binary category. I know for me, homosexuality is just as common and normal to me as anything. There were so many LGBTQIA+ kids at my middle school, high school, college, grad school, and my hometown overall; I grew up seeing this as so ingrained in my life, that I'm still shocked when I see certain things happen right in front of me. But this book REsensitized me to how it still is for teens elsewhere, and it also makes me see how fortunate I am to live in such an accepting community. That being said though, it was still light-hearted and entertaining. Your emotional balance won't sink with reading this one, but you won't leave without a deeper understanding of an important issue either.

I love love love this book and can't wait for it to come out. Bryson is absolutely wonderful throughout.

Regardless of where the author took his inspiration for this plot, this is well written Young Adult novel. I appreciate that this feels like an accurate portrayal of the fear and pain involved with coming out or being outed. Kai and Bryson are adorable and Kai's has one kick ass little sister. The highlight of this book is really the connection between Kai and Bryson. Their relationship feels like it builds through small moments and simple gestures of affection and support and these small, private moments aren't always shown in a lot of YA novels that seem to focus more on attraction and grand gestures. I will definitely be reading this one again in the future.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I read this entire book in one sitting, and what an adorable, sweet, lovely book it was! It's a super sweet romance that celebrates gay identity, friendship, and first love. I loved how the main character, Kai, reflected on the ways that being gay can still be difficult, even in an era of increasing acceptance of queer identity. I appreciated the way that the religious parents were written, and the role that religion played in Kai's reluctance to come out, as it resonated a lot with my own experiences. I also loved how van Whye wrote the relationship between Kai and his sister, Yazz, who was one of my favorite characters in the book. But I loved, also, how the story wasn't at all tragic, and how I sighed and squeeee'd at the romance of it all! Overall, this is a lighthearted, fun read.

Overall, ‘Date Me, Bryson Keller’ is a really fun, fast-paced read with likable characters. I really liked the chemistry between Bryson and Kai and especially liked that the novel was both a love story and a coming out story. One thing I noted is that the novel often came across as didactic, which isn’t innately a bad thing, but I often found myself questioning whether this was an authentic part of Kai’s dialogue or a moralistic interjection from the author. Though the novel could have benefitted from more subtlety/nuance (i.e. perhaps by providing space for the reader to interpret the novel rather than be told the meaning), I still think that it is an important YA novel that many young readers may find themselves in. Special thanks to the publisher, the author, and NetGalley for supplying me with the eARC.

First off: I was granted access to an early copy of this book by Netgalley, so now onto the review.

I REALLY liked this story. I can definitely see where people see the Simon Vs comparisons. I love the story in this and love the way it develops. It was so cute and I liked it enough that I read it all in less than 20 hours (I worked too so about 9.5 hours of that 20 was not reading)

There are a couple things I would do different if I were the one to write this book. I wish the characters had been fleshed out a little more. We only really got a description of Bryson and Kai, but not really anyone else. This book could also be about 50-100 pages longer. There’s so much more that could have happened. Maybe even some more story to go. I just wanted more time in this world with these boys.

It was still great & the perfect kind of contemporary. Overall, I think this book is like a 4.5, but like a high 4.5.

What a beautiful book about romance. I loved the characters and how they were so well developed. The confusion and uncertainty of figuring out whether a person returns your feelings was done so well I had butterflies in my stomach.
To make any story even better you need a conflict. This was done in a poignant and nerve wracking way. The main characters are boys. And neither one is out. (Which was reflectively thought about by the main character. ) there are so many good moments in this book, as well as important topics we all need to think about with compassion and tolerance.
My emotional roller coaster ride is over but the characters and their stories will stay with me.
I will definitely read more of this author.

Date Me Bryson Keller is a cute young adult romance, but it's also a beautiful story.

It involves some of the typical teen things, such as friends making bets, closeted teens, and caddy, forceful girls.

Overall, Bryson and Kai get to know each other as they work on a school project together. What follows is a beautifully natural friendship that develops seamlessly, and then evolves into more.

Kai's a lovable character, who's tired of being closeted and living in the shadows. Meanwhile Bryson is a boy going through a sexual awakening, suddenly realizing he might be gay. They are super cute together, as they struggle with their feelings and making a move. My heart warms at some of the moments, such as the feelings involved by just holding hands.

The author does a wonderful job illustrating the fear of being openly gay in high school versus remaining closeted and always hiding and lying in fear.

As well, the author delivers with some fantastic secondary characters. Holy crap, I can't praise Yazz enough. She's such a spitfire and so darn brilliant.

"You deserve to be happy. You deserve to love and be loved."

My favorite moment is that of ahhh, the freedom of being true to oneself and living openly. That amazing feeling of living life for ones' self rather than for others.

Date Me, Bryson Keller! is a sweet, tender, and romantic story with all the feels of first love. It's perfect for anyone in the mood for an easy-going young adult romance.

My review will be posted to https://amysmmromancereviews.blogspot.com/ on release day.

Wonderful #ownvoices novel.

‘Date Me, Bryson Keller’ has a charming PG-rated slow burn romance, but is first and foremost a coming-out story. Kai and Bryson are both relatable teens who are easy to root for, and feel for, as they go through ups and downs.

I voluntarily read a Review Copy of this book. All opinions stated are solely my own and no one else’s.

Every once in awhile, I get in a book rut. Nothing sounds good, I can't get into a book, and I don't even know what genre I feel like diving into. But it's books like Date Me, Bryson Keller, that reignite my reading fuel and make me want to do nothing but read, read, read.

I demolished this book in a day. What a beautiful, heartfelt, relatable novel! I can relate all too well with the anxiety and many other emotions that Kai feels, even at 31. The characters are relatable and likable, and the humor had me giggling. I really appreciated being in Kai's perspective, and I loved the snapshots of his friends. Priya and Donny were hilarious and I hope there are more stories of them as well as Yazz. PLEASE give me more Kai and Bryson though. Kaison? I ship it.

There's a lot to know about Kai Sheridan. He's in drama class but he hates performing, he thinks pineapple has no place on pizza, and he loathes Leonardo DiCaprio's never-ending Oscar quest. He also has a very big secret: he's gay. Then he's paired up with Bryson Keller for a drama project. Bryson is the star of the school soccer team, super popular, and straight. He also thinks dating in high school is stupid, so a group of friends dared to say yes to anyone who asks him out and "date" them for a week. There's even a hashtag to go along with the whole thing: #datemebrysonkeller. In a brief burst of bravery and/or insanity, Kai leaves his comfort zone entirely and decides to ask Bryson out himself. It's safe because Bryson is straight, and it won't mean anything. Kai will get the opportunity to see what it's like to have a boyfriend, even though it's fake, and Bryson can keep up his end of the dare (even though they won't tell anyone because Kai isn't ready to come out). They have to spend time together for their school project anyway, so no one will suspect a thing. Only....the more time they spend together, the more they both enjoy it. And Bryson isn't exactly behaving like someone who's just putting on an act to fulfill a dare. Could there be more to this fake relationship than either of them ever dreamed?

I'll start by saying that there's some drama surrounding this book because apparently the plot borrows heavily from a manga called Seven Days. I haven't read that one, so I can't speak to whether this book was plagiarized or just has a similar plot. A lot of people are VERY upset at a gay man "borrowing" ideas from a queer woman and passing them off as his own, and I can't say I blame them (though it would bother me the same if they were both straight or bother women or whatever...don't steal someone else's ideas). Having said that, this author has addressed the concerns and said that while there some similarities, he approached some of the elements differently and wanted to bring a different perspective to how certain issues were handled. If he truly did just use Seven Days as a jumping-off place but changed things to tell his own story, I'm not sure I'd call that plagiarizing. Again, I don't know how much is actually different here. For me, this story was entirely new.

I thought this book was adorable and so important. It covers a lot of the fears gay teens face when deciding whether and how to come out, and it handles them with sensitivity but also disappointment and frustration at the injustice that "coming out" is a thing anyone has to do at all. I think the author actually says in the acknowledgements that he wrote the book he wished he had when he was a teenager in the hopes that he can help others who might be having the same experience. I especially appreciated the fact that not all the characters respond well to finding out Kai is gay. Some do, representing the dream of acceptance and nothing at all changing because the person himself hasn't changed, but some break Kai's heart. But then, some of them own up to not responding well and try to make amends. It all felt real and genuine, and the message that "it won't all be perfect but you'll be ok" came through loud and clear.

The relationship between Bryson and Kai kind of blossoms out of nowhere and has shades of insta-love because it happens so quickly, but they ended up being so cute together than I didn't really mind. It was a pretty fast read, and the writing sucks you right in. It's not quite as sharp and witty as Simon vs. The Homo Sapiens Agenda, but it's definitely a fun and powerful addition to a growing genre.

**Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!**